The Review

Last month I reviewed a Halulite Pressure Cooker from GSI Outdoors and liked it a lot so today I thought I would review another one of their products, the compact Pinnacle Soloist. The Soloist is a complete ultralight cookware solution sized perfectly for one individual. The set consists of an attractive 1.1 liter hard-anodized aluminum pot, a 14 fluid-ounce insulated bowl with a lid, a telescoping foon and a welded rubberized stuff sack to protect the kit when it’s not in use.

Designed to survive roughest of conditions, the Soloist’s pot has a capacity of 1.1 liters when full to the brim. There is an integrated steel handle with an orange rubberized protective coating allowing the pot to be handled when hot when it is locked in its open position. The locking mechanism is operated by squeezing the two sides of the handle together and then releasing them to lock the handle in place. The handle can be folded over the top of the lid and locked down to securely hold the lid in place.

The outside of the aluminum pot is protected by a hard-anodized non-reactive coating that is fully formed before anodizing for an attractive garnet-hard finish that has exceptional heat dispersion and won’t scratch.

The inside of the pot is protected by a remarkable three-layer Teflon-based coating engineered by DuPont called Teflon with Radiance technology. It is a specially-formulated coating providing the Soloist with exceptional non-stick performance, even heat distribution and superior scratch and abrasion resistance that is even safe for use with most metal utensils.

The durable heat-resistant nylon lid serves as a spout on one side, and a strainer on the other when it is sitting on the pot. It can also be snapped on to the mug/bowl to be used as a Sip-It style lid to eliminate spills.

A 12 ounce mug/bowl is included with the Soloist, constructed from an ultralight BPA-free polypropylene called Infinity. A Polycarbonate resin alternative resistant to heat, odors, and deformation. Infinity is buoyant, stain-resistant and will not leach plasticizers or other chemicals into your food or beverage. Additionally, the mug/bowl solution is covered with a neoprene insulating sleeve to keep your liquids hot and your fingers not. For convenience, there are marked graduations inside the mug/bowl so it can also be used as a measuring cup.

The Soloist set includes a heat-resistant cooking utensil called a foon, also know as a spork. The telescoping foon provided is very compact and lightweight so it won’t take up much space in your kit.

A small pouch with a hook and loop closure is provided to store an ultralight stove/regulator in the pot, keeping it safe and secure while protecting the pot’s interior finish.

The durable nylon stuff sack with an integrated drawstring closure protects the entire cookset from damage in your pack. The inside of the sack is laminated with a rubberized coating and the seams are welded providing a small water-tight storage basin for tasks like washing dishes.

The design philosophy behind GSI’s Pinnacle series and many of their other products is their nFORM Ultralight System. Ultralight backpacking does not always have to mean making sacrifices. In basic terms, nFORM is a comprehensive “nesting” solution for fitting the maximum amount of gear possible into the smallest amount of space as possible.

To protect the finish from that nasty carbon residue left behind by wood fires and the sticky gunk with tablet-based fuels, simply coat the pot with a light film of soap prior to use. Once you are done using the pot, the residue will easily wash away.

Final Thoughts

GSI’s Pinnacle Soloist is a comprehensive cooking solution specifically designed with extreme durability and ultralight portability in mind. The finish is as rugged as it is attractive. And with the Soloist, you can take nesting a step further by adding a small stove, fuel source, condiments, seasonings or even an extra bowl without increasing the volume used by the kit.

The Pinnacle Soloist is perfect for any casual camper, or avid trailblazer, hunter or survivalist, and everything in between. If you are looking for lightweight packable cookware for just one person, at a little less than 11 ounces the Soloist is as good as they come. In my opinion, it should be seriously considered for a spot in your pack.

Disclosure of Material Connection: We received the product(s) mentioned above for free in consideration for a complete, honest and impartial product review for publication on LetsTalkSurvival.com with no gurantee of the outcome whatsoever. Any opinion provided herein is based entirely on our personal experience with the product(s).

About GSI Outdoors

GSI Outdoors is a small, privately-held, family company. We have no obligation to an anonymous group of shareholders, a corporate board or anyone but our customers, our reps and each other. It is this freedom which so epitomizes the outdoors and grants us the flexibility to be more responsive to the needs of our customers who love the backcountry as much as we do.